Skin burning apparatus



March 19, 1957 F. s. STOUT SKIN BURNING APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 3, 1950 Inventor: Frederick Sturgis Stout WWW his Attorney United States Patent SKIN BURNING APPARATUS Frederick Sturgis Stout, Ardmore, Pa.

Original application October 3, 1950, Serial No. 188,184,

now Patent No. 2,640,343, dated June 2, 1953. D1- vided and this application April 21, 1953, Serial No. 350,074

5 Claims. (Cl. 263-8) This invention relates to the treatment of skins by burning and, more particularly, to an apparatus therefor. It was originally described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 188,184 filed October 3, 1950, now Patent No. 2,640,343 dated June 2, 1953, and was divided therefrom pursuant to a final requirement of division.

The finishing of the undressed fiesh surfaces of skins, hides and the like, hereafter termed skins, and particularly of kid skins, has long presented a problem. In its solution, the tanning industry has heretofore resorted to buffing by abrasive buffers of various sorts, followed by brushing, usually by a rotary brush, to remove the crocking or residue of fibre particles and color. The buffers employed in the buffing stage utilize sandpaper or like abrasive as their butfing medium. The limitations of such abrasives, both in unevenness of wear and in necessity of frequent replacement, have rendered it extremely difficult to buff a skin uniformly and have given rise to high costs both in operation and maintenance. Additionally, the abrasive has a tearing action on the skin fibres, thereby leaving a surface which becomes uneven on subsequent brushing. The buffing stage also presents considerable difficulties, primarily because of static charging of loose particle by the brushing action. While initially causing these particles to adhere to the brush, the static charge when dissipated redeposits a considerable quantity of the particles on the same or a subsequent skin. It has now been found that the difliculties experienced in both stages of the finishing can be avoided by burning off the crocking.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for treating skins by flame, whereby an exposed surface of a skin is heated substantially to combustion temperature under controlled conditions with improvement in both the efficiency of processing and quality of the product.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for finishing suede skins by burning,

whereby the several factors determinative of the effects of the treatment are readily variable to adapt the apparatus to skins of different characteristics.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the flame treating apparatus embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the apparatus of Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken along the lines 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts, the apparatus of the present invention is designed for finishing the undressed flesh surfaces or faces of skins and, particularly, the suede surfaces of kid skins.

In carrying out the invention, a skin with its flesh or suede face or surface up or exposed is brought under a burner to which it is presented under suflicient tempera- Patented Mar. 19, 1957 ice action of the flame, and that any rough or jagged portions of these edges may smoulder as an aftermath oftheir exposure to the burner. To prevent such charting of the body of the skin by smouldering, with consequent impairment of its value as a whole skin, it will usually be desirable to make provision for smothering any smouldering areas by passing the skin through a suitable smotherer, such as a pair of rollers or a nitrogen mask, or if the operator is experienced, resort may even be had to extinguishing the smouldering areas by hand.

On examination of the skin subsequent to singeing, it is found that the suede surface has been singed to a uniform depth and that the ends of the projecting fibres are rounded and not rough and uneven, as when buffed by an abrasive, thereby presenting a smooth, even surface. In addition, the coloring or color characteristics of the skin are developed or intensified by the treatment to an extent not heretofore obtainable.

After the singeing, there will remain on the sueded surface a charred crocking in the form of minute carbonized particles of fibre and die or coloring. To remove this crocking, the skin is brushed, usually by a rotary brush such as now generally used in conjunction with abrasive buffing. However, unlike the excess matter left by bufiing, the carbonized particles are not subject to a static charge. They, therefore, are readily brushed from the suede surface of the skin and, having no tendency to be attracted to the brush, cannot be redeposited on the same or a subsequent skin.

In the accompanying drawings, there has been illustrated a preferred form of the apparatus of the present invention by which the suede or undressed faces of skins of a wide range of characteristics can readily be singed. Since the apparatus previously described for processing a skin, subsequent to singeing, is conventional, it has not been illustrated. The singeing or flame buffing apparatus, itself, is comprised of a suitable table, frame or stand 1 on which is journaled or mounted, adjacent either longitudinal end, a transverse roller 2. Supported on the rollers 2 is an endless belt or conveyor 3, which may be made of canvas having an asbestos-impregnated outer surface to render the conveyor flame-resistant. For driving the conveyor, there is provided a variable speed motor unit, indicated at 4, which for the range of belt speeds desired may be either a D. C. motor or, if direct current is not readily available, an A. C. motor equippedwith a vari-pulley or like device (not shown). The motor unit is drivably connected to one of the rollers 2 by suitable means, such as the illustrated drive belt 5 and drive pulleys 6. On either side of the conveyor 3, intermediate the rollers 2, are a pair of stanchions or uprights 7, which are mounted on and upstand from the table 1 in laterally spaced relation. In the illustrated embodiment, each of these stanchions is an angle iron with one leg 8 disposed normal to the path of travel of the conveyor. These stanchions may be welded or otherwise secured to the table and are preferably connected adjacent their upper ends by a cross-bar 9.

Carried by the stanchions, intermediate the cross-bar 9 and conveyor 3 and disposed transversely of and substantially co-extensive in width with the conveyor, is a burner 10 capable of applying controlled heat to a skin. The illustrated burner is of the gas-fired type in which flame is emitted through a plurality of laterally spaced jets 11 into a ceramic head or hood 12 having a.v concave substautially semiacy1ind1ical.- ..reflectingwssurfaqe. 13 by which the heat of the,,flame is concentrated over a relatively narrow area longitudinally of the conveyor 3.2; .Therijetsiare conneeted-lthroughra common suppor t gz; crosspipeal izto arsupply-xpipe' r15;the amountrandrrichw nesssof ilie :gaseainrinixturen and: thereby the-heat, .being:;= controlled byrf oneioremorescontrol :valves 16;

Ineaddition to :thentemperat-urm-ofthev-flame, onexofthesifacto'rs zeontrolling the; degree of singeing-is the dis taneerhetweenor spacingzoti the burner anda skin carried byetherrconveyong; Accordingly 'provision is made for vertieal';adjust:mentmfnthearel-ativeheight of the burner, this;being -accomplished:in:the: illustrated embodiment bywslidablye mountingtgthe:burnerrsnpporting cross-pipes in slots 1-7 tinterruptinggthef innerornormallegs 8 of the-- stanchious;ztthenresulmnt'. variation in the length of. the illustratedasupply;gpipebeingautomatically compensated forxby; an, expansion; joint 1%.. Not only is the burner 10 adapted:...to bet-moved vertically, but-it is also designed.- to be swung fromdheaoperative-or. conveyor-confronting '20 positionaofeFigurea .toithe inoperative position indicated iindot-andrdasmline in Figure =1, to permit the -treatment. to .berinterruptedat .will, aswell as to enable the burner to. be preheatedininoperative'position. This is accomplished in the. .first instance byslidablyv connecting the. ends of thescross-pipe l ivto ther'stanchions 7 through journals; 19-..- .ForKswin-ginggonrotatingthe burner through. theare between its vertical and horizontal positions, there is fixedto. aprojectingaendvof the 'cross-pipe 14 a crank or.lever=.arm 20, the :outer end. of which is linked teen operating .arm.or.lever. 21, the latter in turn having its outemendoscillatably supported on the table -1 by a supportingtarm 22.. Withv this arrangement, the operat-- ing.,arm- ,21..is..rnade.sufficiently heavy to counterbalancev the ;burner ..and,.,alone, hold it lIl-hOl'iZOiliQl .or. inoperative..-po siti0n,; stops.-.( not. shown). preferably being. pro.- vided to..lirnit the extentof thearcuate movement of the: burner.

While'any slack in the conveyor 3 may be taken upbv longitudinal adjustment of. tl1e idler of the rollers 2 rela- 40 tiv'etothetable 1,.somesagging of .the belt intermediatethearollersjis..almost..inevitable. Accordingly, tov fix thecle'arance...between the burner .and the. skin, once the vertical. positionof .the. burner has been set, the burnerconfronting portionof. the conveyor rides over a back-up. 10112.3. which hasitsendsjournaledto the stanchion 7 and preferablyv is.,adjn'stable verticallyrelativev thereto,.. asthrough,'continuations,.ofxthe slots 17, topermit adjustmerit of blthe'ight relative to the .burner.

With' the. several adjustments obtainable in they struc. ture above des'cribe'dgit is. possible to control the dura-. tion' of the singeing by variation of the speed .ofthe conveyor 3, and byadju'stment of the flame. and the spacing between the, burner. ltiand the conveyor, to control the effective heat .to'which a skin is subjected: Consequently,jthe apparatus possesses the aforementioned. requisite abilityto treat skins of widely varying.character-. istica. ln'flame butfingkid skins, probablyfits widest single fieldof use, it has beenfound possible to effec tivelysinge their suede surfaces at belt speeds between 20'l00"feetfper minute, using flametemperatures of from 7S0 1500".'.F..and a spacingbetween the burnerand. the conveyor-of from 25 inches, theinterval of exposure. for substantiallyidentical skins, of course,. being. less: thehigher the effective heat upon. the surface.

From the? above detaileddescription, it will be ap parent'that' there .has. been provided. an improved paratus for" burning undressed surfaces ofskins, whereby.- the suede surfacesare rendered smooth, uniiormand-of intensified cotorcharacteristics and the resultant crockinga. cadieadily be removed by brushing. It should'be unde'rstood =that 'the described and disclosed embodiment is merelyexemplary of the invention andthat all modi-j;

emamrdsaeraimea agar-smears.

sssscribedmvip n on,I v

1. Apparatus for singeing an undressed flesh surface of a skin comprising a support, an endless flame-resistant conveyor carried by said support, means for driving said conveyor at variable linear speeds, a burner swingably associated with said supportnanmsurmounting and exposing flame directly to said conveyor, means for varying the effective temperature exertedby -said burner on said conveyor, saidmeansincludinggmeansior adjusting the flame of said' burner and irieans for adjusting the vertical spacing Y of said burnerrrelative'.:touxsaid-lzconveyon; ;and:}.

lying. said. [conveyor -and: carried .by, .and Iswingable .and. adjustable vertically,,relative to saiduprights, .said burner.

exposing, flame ,.directlyto and; in operative position .con-..

and..,,-lever meaus...associated,.with.said. support and connected...to said -.b.urner forlswingingsaid burner between operative and inoperative position.

3. Apparatus for treating undressed skins comprising. a support,.an endless, flame-resistant conveyor .carriedby said support, means for driving said conveyor .atvariabl'e' linear. speeds, uprights upstandin'girom said support. and,

positionedbn. opposite sides of ts'aidjconveyor intermedi: ate, ends thereofia burner, ,overlyingsaid.conveyor andv carr-iedby and 'adjustable' verticallyrelative to saidfup:

rights, iand jlink.and, ,lever means associated with said ,I supportand. connected-to said burner, for swinging-said b'urnerbetween operative :and inoperative positions, said. lastvnamed Q means having ..an.. operating lever counter-,

balancing..said,, burner. .for. .holding: said. burner. in ;in-.

operative.- ..positiom 4. Apparatus for ..treating undressedwskins comprising. a support, .an .endlesssflame resistantz conveyor carried :by. saidsupport, Lmeans for driving, said conveyor. at variable.

linear-.. speeds, uprightsupstandingfrom said support and rights, link. and lever means. associated-with said support and. connected to said..burner .forswinging said, burner be'tweenoperative andinoperative .positiom-and a. backup.roll;underlying..and. supporting the burner-confronting,-

portion. oflsaid conveyor; said back-uproll :being. mount-1 ed on and vertically adjustable-relative tosaid uprights. 5 Apparatus. for treating v .undressed skins comprising a support, an endlessflame=resistant conveyor carried-by said support, meansior .drivingsaid conveyor at variable linear .speeds, uprights:upstanding-from said support and positioned on opposite: sides .of said conveyor intermediate 1 endsihereof aburneroverlying-said conveyor and carried by. and..adjustable,,vertically:.relative to. said-.-upri gl 1ts,; link gand...lever.smeans:associated with said support and; connected...to said .burnerforswinging said burner be-' tween. operative and-inoperative position, *said last-named means having anoperating lever counterbalancing ,said.

burner. for, holdingsaid burner. in inoperative position,

and a back-up roll underlying and supporting thegbumer confronting-. ,portion .roftsaid. conveyor, said backup;.roll

being..,mounted on-and vertically adjustable. relativevto:

said uprights References Cited in the file. of this-patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

